Like the Black Rice

Like the Black Rice

Date written: October 9, 2019... 
Free Verse

Included in "Bono", an Early Chapter Book

By: Lucy Lombos

“Fire! Fire!”

Rattled by this buzz, native folks reacted in the smoky fuzz,

“There’s a fire at the warehouse!”

Shout of the past decried, not bamboos that bent with the wind.

“Help! Help!”

Panicky cries hearkened; the church bells tolled,

The cello and the violin played the language of the heart,

The dolorous sound alarmed Puerto Galera.

Hundreds of rice sacks burned,

Grains turned black and speckled the white sand,

Folklore or a myth? A phenomenon… “The Black Rice”, 

Passed down while water tumbled in the banks of Muelle Pier.

Voices heard; tears shed.

Escaped, saved lives but not the rice,

Part of culture, like a body of water, streamed down

To the pier… a harbour to many sorts of identified fires.

Likewise, that fire consumed the outsiders’ passion

To travel, to barter food, clothes and stuff alike…

Burning flame vanished, the Galleons sailed, the flag hoisted.

Like birds, stories and poems flew; new ones now chirp through. 

“Fire! Fire!”

An attention of vanity, just before the plane mirror,

There was the Richmond star… shining, smiling,

Behold! Flawed but not creation’s error.

In the blink of the eye,

Specular reflection no more, a flash of lightning,

Struck and bolted out, lost powerful light,

… Everything turned black.

“Help! Help!” A scream on top of the voice,

Death’s appearance, Oh so unimaginable!

The seat of wisdom hit the stonework,

… Black coloured the world.

The cello and the violin played once more,

Collection of memories… Connection… Like the black rice.

In the absence of white and light: Is there still an essence?

A star, creation’s bearer, shines brightest in total darkness.

Like the black rice, a glimpse at the mirror’s rear view

Grains of hope bespoken to extinguish the fire,

To halt the dance of death but move on to life’s rhythms, and

To the star at Westminster, radiance is here in the heart, set afire.

Photo creds to Ex-councilor Daniel Enriquez and Tourism Council President Noe Lineses... Thank you!